Chiang Khong Travel Guide

Situated in Chiang Rai Province on the northern Thai border, just across the Mekong River from its counterpart, the Lao town of Huay Xai, Chiang Khong is above all known as a popular border crossing for independent travelers and backpackers heading to Laos.

This small, sleepy town is long and thin, running along the river’s southern bank, which is lined with several small restaurants, backpacker cafés and guesthouses. There is one main road, various temples, a Friday market, and a craft village, making Chiang Khong a typical little Thai town without any night life.

Most visitors see the town as nothing else than an overnight stop to Laos; however, Chiang Khong offers a few remote attractions such as waterfalls, rapids and a H’mong village which can be explored on short daytrips organized by your guesthouse, or independently with your own means of transport.

Getting There & Away

Every 30 minutes, buses arrive at Chiang Khong from Chiang Rai and other main cities in northern and northeast Thailand. One daytime and five overnight buses depart directly from the Northern Bus Terminal in Bangkok (Moh Chit) every day, the journey taking 13 hours. The closest air facility is Chiang Rai Airport, which can be reached from Bangkok International Airport in 1 hour, 30 minutes.

Things to Do

Chiang Khong Attractions

Waterfalls, rapids and a Hmong hill tribe village (10kms).